There are actually numerous alternatives and attachments available for lift trucks. While most attachments are manufactured to be used on standard lift trucks, there are some made to be used on reach trucks and VNA. It is essential to note that OSHA needs approval for any attachment which must be approved for use by the particular lift truck manufacturer.
The most essential common attachment is the sideshift and is considered to be standard equipment. The sideshift apparatus enables the fork carriage to slide right and left as well as allow for more accurate load positioning. The sideshift allows the operator to be more versatile with the machinery.
The fork positioner is a different attachment choice that allows the operator to adjust the distance between the forks without having to get off of the truck. This specific attachment is mainly used in high volume operations where there is a wide range of pallet and crate sizes handled.
Fork pivots makes it possible for the carriage and forks to rotate or pivot. These attachments could be specifically designed for dumping and transporting hoppers. These attachments are extremely useful for many industrial operations.
The slip sheet attachment is used to slip sheets of plastic, or paperboard or a sheet of cardboard that is utilized rather than pallets. The slip sheet attachments use a push and pull device which clamps onto the slip sheet and pulls the cargo onto a thin platform. After that, the load is pushed off the platform when the truck reaches the destination.
Drum attachments are available in numerous shapes and sizes, with some models able to handle 55 gallon drums. There are several smaller versions of a paper roll clamps that go around the roll and also can rotate a full 360 degrees. There are other kinds of drum attachments which could pick up various drums all simultaneously.
One more option is tilt control, that enables the operator to preset the fork tilt angles. For extensions slide over the forks to help lift and move longer loads. The Carton clamp operates like a paper roll clamp except rather than being round, the clamping surface is flat.